magnetic - Mason Mount x OMC

chapter thirty four - dad

Sunday morning broke, and sunlight woke Finn and Mason well before any alarm they had set went off.

"Morning F." Mason beamed at the half asleep singer.

Finn smiled and rubbed his eyes. "It's so nice to wake up to your face."

"Same." Mase replied. "You feeling okay about today?"

"Yeah I am. I'm excited, a bit nervous, but excited. I haven't really done this before."

"You haven't introduced anyone before?"

"Absolutely not. To my brothers, yeah. But no, not my dad. He wasn't in the place he is now back when I've had other boyfriends." Finn explained. "I barely had a functioning relationship with him so I couldn't really try make my boyfriend have one with him. And I didn't want to."

"That's understandable." Mase smiled.

"I've actually no idea how he's going to be." Finn laughed. "Like I don't think he's ever met any of my brothers relationships either, so probably a new one in the book for him too."

"No pressure then." the footballer chuckled.

"Genuinely none at all." Finn reassured him. "This is as much a foray into the unknown for me and my dad, as it is for you. And if all goes tits up, then we have Paddy there for damage control.

***

The pair were showered, ready and on their way to breakfast. Finn had picked somewhere he knew wouldn't be busy, but wouldn't be empty. Somewhere his dad had been before. And somewhere he knew well enough to know where all the doors were, in the case of an emergency.

Patrick and his dad were already at the cafe when they arrived. Mason had no idea what Finn's dad would look like. In his head, he couldn't shake the idea of him looking old and disheveled, from the years of drinking. A stereotypical image in his brain, that was quickly shattered when he walked in to see a handsome, well dressed man sipping on a flat white. Whilst the bags under his eyes and wiry frame may have told a story of past indiscretions, Sean looked clear skinned and as healthy as any other 48 year old man.

As they approached the table, Sean arose from the table, alerting Paddy to the couple's arrival.

"Hey dad." Finn smiled and received a hug from his father.

"Hey kiddo." Sean embraced his son.

"Dad, this is Mason. Mason, this is my dad." Finn made the introduction.

"Nice to meet you Mr O'Hara." Mason smiled and held out his hand.

"Mason, lovely to meet you. And it's Sean please." The lilt of his Irish accent ever present in his response.

They all sat down, and a waitress came over to take their order. Small talk endured as she finished laying out cutlery in front of them, and eventually left them too it.

"How was New York?" Sean asked Finn.

"Yeah it was good, still a bit jet lagged but I may have to get used to going out there a bit more."

"Ahh so more stuff out in the States then?"

"Yeah, the album is doing well out there so the label want me to do some shows out there over the summer." This was news to Mason.

"That's great, son." he smiled.

"Yeah, that's sick Finn." Paddy added.

"And how's the season going, Mason?" Sean asked.

"It's going okay, my first season really battling some injury stuff so that's been a challenge but hoping to get back out there before the end of Prem."

And that was it for the next 30 minutes. Mason, his dad, and Paddy, engrossed in conversation over football. Finn, although bored at the content, was thrilled at how easy conversation flowed. Breakfast came and was eaten. More drinks were ordered. The three even got onto bullying Finn about his lack of football knowledge.

"And to think it's a game of essentially 22 physically fit men running round in shorts for 90 minutes, and it still didn't peak your interest." Paddy said to universal laughter.

"It took my a while to appreciate such details of the game." Finn smirked.

"Hmm I don't know, you weren't that old when you insisted on having the David Beckham shirtless poster up in your room." Sean added.

"Dad!" Finn laughed. And it dawned on Finn as to why he'd been nervous about today. He knew his dad and Mason would get on. They have things in common and they both had the chat. But he'd still been nervous.

When Finn came out to his family, his dad was in relapse. All the family were over from Christmas, and when one of his aunties asked Finn about any girlfriends, he responded with a simple 'no because I'm gay'. While his dad was there, Finn didn't know if he had heard or was just too drunk to care. Being from an Irish Catholic family, it was safe to say there was some reaction to Finn's news. But not from his dad, there was just nothing. And they had never talked about it.

Finn realised that he actually didn't know if his dad accepted him from being him or not. And while their relationship had a way to go, this was a good step. He knew that his dad knew he had a boyfriend, liked him and that was enough for now.

The boys chatted about other things before Paddy had to go and start his shift, meaning he had to take his dad home too.

"Lovely to meet you Mason, hopefully next time I see you, you'll be on the pitch." Sean said goodbye to the Chelsea player.

"That's the plan! If you ever want to get to a game just let Finn know, and we can sort it." Mase smiled.

Paddy jumped in to say bye to Mase too, and Finn turned to his dad.

"Thanks for introducing me." Sean whispered into his ear, as they hugged. "He's lovely and I'm glad you are happy."

Finn squeezed him a touch tighter. "Thanks dad."